Posts tagged ‘Medicine’

The past week has comprised of contacting the surgeon who will preform my top surgery. Along with talking with my grandmother of the steps that will occur. Initially Dr. Steinwald has quoted me $6000 for the surgery plus $2400 for the OR cost. That is on the low side of his costs. There will also be plane fare and hotel fare to worry about. I am slowly getting it to come together but it will take time.

I should have enough money from my job to afford almost all of the procedure by January. Dr. Steinwald accepts Care Credit, which I will use to the max so I’m not completely broke. He wishes to talk to me on the phone yet but I need to compile a new list of questions since he just released a new site especially for my kind. http://www.chicagoftmtopsurgery.com/

The best part is he doesn’t require a letter from a therapist. I still haven’t been able to acquire it due to my other issues which I highlighted in my first blog. Those therapists just want your money. The other promising thing about getting it done with Dr. Steinwald is that he preserves the stalk of nerves to the nipple. That means I won’t loose potential for sensation that I would otherwise loose with nipple grafting. Since they won’t be cut off and put in a petri dish for over an hour it is even less likely that the nipples will die. That can happen with grafts.

Just when I think I can hold out longer without surgery the pain in my breasts returns with a vengeance. I will be glad once they are gone. Due to this pain I will be sure to get a pathology report with my surgery. I have a feeling something isn’t right. I don’t want to think about it though.

My next step is to contact my work and see the options for medical leave. I could really care less about getting paid for the time off but I do need the time off, without getting fired. Need to pay off that care credit after the surgery. If I can get partial pay during my time off that would be great.

I also need to prepare my questions for the surgeon and talk to him on the phone about the whole thing. I hope he deems me sane and that I can go through with it without any issues. Looking at the calender I hope that he has Tuesday January 7th open for surgery. I would arrive the day before on Monday and stay a week or more. I kind of have to get it done that first week as my grandma has plans the last two weekends in January. Then she leaves for vacation all of February and March. The time alone will be nice to adjust to my new chest and just be at peace with myself.

The healing time is stated at 4-6 weeks. I am hoping the surgeon will extend it to 8 weeks so I have extra time to heal. My job involves lifting heavy objects and moving my arms all different directions with stretching and I don’t want to mess anything up. That would just suck.

Oh I also need to find a new primary physician since my current one is an incompetent idiot. Last time I went to him he didn’t keep record of my previous visit and the stupid nurse wanted me to take a pregnancy test even though I clearly stated I hadn’t had sex to get pregnant… That was just total bullshit. They would of probably charged me more also.

Now I need to get my act together and get those questions ready for the surgeon.